This disclosure relates generally to locating a tracking device, and more specifically, to securely providing location and identity information for a tracking device to centralized system.
Electronic tracking devices have created numerous ways for people to track the locations of people and/or objects. For example, a user can use GPS technology to track a device remotely or determine a location of the user. In another example, a user can attach a tracking device to an important object, such as keys or a wallet, and use the features of the tracking device to more quickly locate the object, (e.g., if it becomes lost).
However, traditional tracking devices and corresponding systems suffer from one or more disadvantages. For example, locating a tracking device from a far-away distance requires a considerable amount of power. Thus, battery life of a tracking device is often limited. Further, technology for long-range tracking is expensive, and often requires sophisticated circuitry for operating in connection with an associated electronic device (e.g., a mobile device). Additionally, low-power options for tracking devices are limited to tracking nearby objects that require a user to be within a close proximity of the tracking devices, limiting the usefulness of such tracking devices.